A review of The Frugal Book Promoter by Sally Bair
I just finished self-publishing a juvenile novel, Williwaw Winds, and consider Carolyn Howard-Johnson's book, The Frugal Book Promoter, as one of the most helpful resources in marketing my book.
Carolyn not only addresses nearly every aspect of marketing, she includes very detailed instructions in how to pitch your book to a host of sources, how to receive free publicity, and how to make up your media kit. Her instructions and tips are sprinkled throughout with important, helpful Web sites and samples. I haven't had my copy of her book very long and already it's dog-eared from such frequent use. It's a winner!"
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Reviewer Sally Bair is author of Williwaw Winds at www.sallybair.com and a member of Wisconsin Regional Writers Association.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Haunted Books from Simon and Schuster Reviewed by Radio Host
Author: Chris Eboch
Haunted The Ghost on the Stairs
ISBN 978 1-4169-7548-9
Haunted The Riverboat Phantom
ISBN 978 1-4169-7549-6
Kids Simon and Schuster
$5.99 US $7.99 Canada
Available Amazon
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch
Jon’s a typical 13 year-old, annoyed when his mother loves on him, wary of Bruce, his new step father, and not quite enjoying this summer of traveling the country with the ghost-busting TV show that his mother produces.
His sister, Tania is a typical 11 year-old pain, giggly and over dramatic. Actually, she’s a nice pain, and he loves and protects her, patiently explaining the world, a la their scientist father, whom both kids miss a lot.
Then Tania announces she can see ghosts. Jon has no response to that. Is she putting him on? Is her imagination in over drive? Has she gone crazy? Or is she telling the truth?
The fun of Chris Eboch’s Haunted series begins. Tania decides to accept her psychic abilities as a gift. Jon isn’t sure what to think, so he keeps an open mind, especially when rooms turn cold, Tania collapses for no apparent reason, and he feels an unexplainable chill or two himself.
Tania elects to tell no one what she sees. Jon supports her. As she deals with the ghosts that come to her, she and Jon hatch plans to avoid snoopy Mom, curious Bruce, Mean Mick a member of the TV crew who doesn’t like kids, and Madam Natasha, the actress who fakes being a psychic.
The first volume The Ghost on the Stairs, introduces a bride who haunts a hotel looking for the husband who vanished right after the wedding. The second “”The Riverboat Phantom” presents a steamboat pilot who lost his concentration, ran aground and killed several passengers. Now he must haunt the pilot house until he can make amends for his mistake.
Around the ghost stories, Eboch weaves river lore, Mark Twain, tidbits concerning steamboat operation, and morals, manners, and customs of late 19th Century America that could just entice someone to pick up “Tom Sawyer,” or go learn something about mining towns.
Eboch has a nice writing style, and she crafts her stories well, carefully building suspense, showing her action, and setting scene. She discusses various theories of what ghosts might be and ghost hunting, without drawing conclusions as to whether or not they exist.
Each book stands alone. Family dynamics and history come out clearly, though Mean Mick and Madame Natasha are a lot easier to picture in “The Ghost on the Stairs” than in “The Riverboat Phantom.” Ms. Eboch might consider keeping character descriptions as strong as she keeps motivation across the volumes. She might also let her characters grow a bit from book to book. Bruce might move beyond the not-so-hot step father. Madame Natasha just has to go some time. Otherwise the relationships between people might get repetitious.
She plans to send Tania, Jon, and the TV show to New York next, to a museum that might or might not be haunted. If she mixes the history of one of America’s oldest cities with her fantasy, and continues to let her characters develop, she’ll probably have another fun filled story.
----Reviewer Connie Gotsch is author of A Mouth Full of Shelland Snap Me a Future. She is featured in The Complete Writer's Journal from Red Engine Press. Her books are available at Amazon.com. She is the host of Write On! radio show in the four corners area.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Haunted The Ghost on the Stairs
ISBN 978 1-4169-7548-9
Haunted The Riverboat Phantom
ISBN 978 1-4169-7549-6
Kids Simon and Schuster
$5.99 US $7.99 Canada
Available Amazon
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch
Jon’s a typical 13 year-old, annoyed when his mother loves on him, wary of Bruce, his new step father, and not quite enjoying this summer of traveling the country with the ghost-busting TV show that his mother produces.
His sister, Tania is a typical 11 year-old pain, giggly and over dramatic. Actually, she’s a nice pain, and he loves and protects her, patiently explaining the world, a la their scientist father, whom both kids miss a lot.
Then Tania announces she can see ghosts. Jon has no response to that. Is she putting him on? Is her imagination in over drive? Has she gone crazy? Or is she telling the truth?
The fun of Chris Eboch’s Haunted series begins. Tania decides to accept her psychic abilities as a gift. Jon isn’t sure what to think, so he keeps an open mind, especially when rooms turn cold, Tania collapses for no apparent reason, and he feels an unexplainable chill or two himself.
Tania elects to tell no one what she sees. Jon supports her. As she deals with the ghosts that come to her, she and Jon hatch plans to avoid snoopy Mom, curious Bruce, Mean Mick a member of the TV crew who doesn’t like kids, and Madam Natasha, the actress who fakes being a psychic.
The first volume The Ghost on the Stairs, introduces a bride who haunts a hotel looking for the husband who vanished right after the wedding. The second “”The Riverboat Phantom” presents a steamboat pilot who lost his concentration, ran aground and killed several passengers. Now he must haunt the pilot house until he can make amends for his mistake.
Around the ghost stories, Eboch weaves river lore, Mark Twain, tidbits concerning steamboat operation, and morals, manners, and customs of late 19th Century America that could just entice someone to pick up “Tom Sawyer,” or go learn something about mining towns.
Eboch has a nice writing style, and she crafts her stories well, carefully building suspense, showing her action, and setting scene. She discusses various theories of what ghosts might be and ghost hunting, without drawing conclusions as to whether or not they exist.
Each book stands alone. Family dynamics and history come out clearly, though Mean Mick and Madame Natasha are a lot easier to picture in “The Ghost on the Stairs” than in “The Riverboat Phantom.” Ms. Eboch might consider keeping character descriptions as strong as she keeps motivation across the volumes. She might also let her characters grow a bit from book to book. Bruce might move beyond the not-so-hot step father. Madame Natasha just has to go some time. Otherwise the relationships between people might get repetitious.
She plans to send Tania, Jon, and the TV show to New York next, to a museum that might or might not be haunted. If she mixes the history of one of America’s oldest cities with her fantasy, and continues to let her characters develop, she’ll probably have another fun filled story.
----Reviewer Connie Gotsch is author of A Mouth Full of Shelland Snap Me a Future. She is featured in The Complete Writer's Journal from Red Engine Press. Her books are available at Amazon.com. She is the host of Write On! radio show in the four corners area.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Author Questions Evolution and Darwin
The Evolution Conspiracy, Vol. 1: Exposing Life’s Inexplicable Origins & The Cult of Darwin
Author: Lisa A. Shiel,
Genre: Science / Life Sciences / Evolution
ISBN 9781934631300
Slipdown Mountain Publications, 2009
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views
Author Lisa Shiel has given readers an opportunity to challenge their views on evolution and how man became. Too many times we have learned to accept what we were told by those in authority, in the school system and those in religion. We have just accepted it without question and now through this well-researched book we can actually begin to question life.
What I particularly liked about this book is the author is not saying evolutionists are wrong- she is just questioning how we came up with certain answers without any true observation or clear definition of terms. Often researchers and scientists believe that the general public is not intelligent enough to understand how research works and how they came upon their results. Having just finished my PhD in 2006, I had to take several research methods classes and from my experience and what I know of evolution they cannot use the term theory as it doesn’t meet the criteria of scientific methods.
The author takes us right from the beginning of the definition of life, through genetic clues to naming species and subspecies. She clearly provides thoughts on what we have been told, providing examples of her own research that question original thoughts. Each chapter provides additional resources and clear definitions of terms used. “The Evolution Conspiracy, Vol.1” by Lisa A. Shiel is not a book one can breeze through, however it is easy to read. Everyone should take the time to read this book and develop their own thoughts and learn to question what is told to us. I have taken what I read from this book and used it in my psychology classes with my students to teach them that sometimes what we know or have been taught may not be true.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Author: Lisa A. Shiel,
Genre: Science / Life Sciences / Evolution
ISBN 9781934631300
Slipdown Mountain Publications, 2009
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views
Author Lisa Shiel has given readers an opportunity to challenge their views on evolution and how man became. Too many times we have learned to accept what we were told by those in authority, in the school system and those in religion. We have just accepted it without question and now through this well-researched book we can actually begin to question life.
What I particularly liked about this book is the author is not saying evolutionists are wrong- she is just questioning how we came up with certain answers without any true observation or clear definition of terms. Often researchers and scientists believe that the general public is not intelligent enough to understand how research works and how they came upon their results. Having just finished my PhD in 2006, I had to take several research methods classes and from my experience and what I know of evolution they cannot use the term theory as it doesn’t meet the criteria of scientific methods.
The author takes us right from the beginning of the definition of life, through genetic clues to naming species and subspecies. She clearly provides thoughts on what we have been told, providing examples of her own research that question original thoughts. Each chapter provides additional resources and clear definitions of terms used. “The Evolution Conspiracy, Vol.1” by Lisa A. Shiel is not a book one can breeze through, however it is easy to read. Everyone should take the time to read this book and develop their own thoughts and learn to question what is told to us. I have taken what I read from this book and used it in my psychology classes with my students to teach them that sometimes what we know or have been taught may not be true.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Booklist Reviewer Shares Women's Literature Review with The New Book Review
The Fence My Father Built
Abingdon Press, October 2009
By Linda S. Clare.
Genre: Women’s fiction, contemporary
ISBN: 13:987-1-4267-0073-6.
Author's blog: www.godsonggrace.blogspot.com.
Hardcover, $13.99
Reviewed by Lynne Welch for Booklist
Muri Pond arrives in Murkee with her two children (daughter Nova, 15, and son Tru, 11) for a quick visit to settle her long-lost father’s estate, while she regroups from an unpleasant divorce and the loss of her job, her home, and her social standing. Determined to remain aloof, Muri nonetheless finds herself slowly adjusting to central Oregon’s high-desert ranching culture, so vastly different from Portland’s lush green suburban lifestyle. And while she attempts to bridge the gap between her father’s Nez PercĂ© heritage and her mother’s obsessively white middle-class upbringing, Muri finds herself on a journey of self-discovery, encouraged by her aunt Lutie’s and uncle Tiny’s everyday, casual expressions of faith. Drawing from her own experience discovering her Native American heritage while searching for her biological father, Clare’s rich and thoughtful contemporary inspirational novel vividly portrays the day-to-day struggles of a neglected people against poverty, racism, substance abuse, and more, while holding out the enduring hope for second chances.
The Fence My Father Built, a novel from Abingdon Press
View the Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/3a36t7
Visit my Blog! http://www.godsonggrace.blogspot.com
Making Peace With a Dangerous God
Revealed: Spiritual Reality in a Makeover World
Lost Boys and the Moms Who Love Them
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Abingdon Press, October 2009
By Linda S. Clare.
Genre: Women’s fiction, contemporary
ISBN: 13:987-1-4267-0073-6.
Author's blog: www.godsonggrace.blogspot.com.
Hardcover, $13.99
Reviewed by Lynne Welch for Booklist
Muri Pond arrives in Murkee with her two children (daughter Nova, 15, and son Tru, 11) for a quick visit to settle her long-lost father’s estate, while she regroups from an unpleasant divorce and the loss of her job, her home, and her social standing. Determined to remain aloof, Muri nonetheless finds herself slowly adjusting to central Oregon’s high-desert ranching culture, so vastly different from Portland’s lush green suburban lifestyle. And while she attempts to bridge the gap between her father’s Nez PercĂ© heritage and her mother’s obsessively white middle-class upbringing, Muri finds herself on a journey of self-discovery, encouraged by her aunt Lutie’s and uncle Tiny’s everyday, casual expressions of faith. Drawing from her own experience discovering her Native American heritage while searching for her biological father, Clare’s rich and thoughtful contemporary inspirational novel vividly portrays the day-to-day struggles of a neglected people against poverty, racism, substance abuse, and more, while holding out the enduring hope for second chances.
The Fence My Father Built, a novel from Abingdon Press
View the Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/3a36t7
Visit my Blog! http://www.godsonggrace.blogspot.com
Making Peace With a Dangerous God
Revealed: Spiritual Reality in a Makeover World
Lost Boys and the Moms Who Love Them
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Founder of Mom's Choice Awards Comments on New Release
Choosing Honor, An American Woman's Search for God, Family and Country in and Age of Corruption
By Ficalora
Genre: Nonfiction, Spiritual/Social/Political
ISBN 978-0-9799359-0-9
Review by Tara Paterson, Founder of Mom's Choice Awards
"I had no idea when I sat down to read Choosing Honor how powerful it would be. I honor Ficalora for having the courage to put this out there. A lot of people wouldn't have done it for fear of their safety. It’s a sign of how things are slowly changing and truth is beginning to surface."
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
By Ficalora
Genre: Nonfiction, Spiritual/Social/Political
ISBN 978-0-9799359-0-9
Review by Tara Paterson, Founder of Mom's Choice Awards
"I had no idea when I sat down to read Choosing Honor how powerful it would be. I honor Ficalora for having the courage to put this out there. A lot of people wouldn't have done it for fear of their safety. It’s a sign of how things are slowly changing and truth is beginning to surface."
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Ahhhh! November! Month of Celebration and Books!
I am participating in a fun blog tour with a variety of authors--everything from nonfiction writers to poets. I thought that if you followed along it would be fun and you'd see how Karen Cioffi planned this. Not a bad thing for you who have never done a tour using your own blog. Plus, it would give you a chance to win some prizes. And for those visitors who are readers! Wow! A plethora of books in many genres.
So, watch this blog on November 11 for just one of the tour entries, the famous Old Silly, Marvin Wilson.
Here is the tour schedule for the rest of the month of November. There is a prize on each stop, so make this list your reading one-stop-shop!
November 1 Dianne Sagan is hosting Heidi Thomas
http://www.diannesagan.wordpress.com
November 2 Harry Gilleland is hosting Karen Cioffi
http://harrygillelandwrites.blogspot.com November 3 Karen Cioffi is hosting Martha Swirzinki
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com
November 4 Kathy Stemke is hosting Brigitte Thompson
http://educationtipster.blogspot.com
November 5 Nancy Famolari is hosting Deborah Weed
http://nancygfamolari.blogspot.com
November 6 Margaret Fieland is hosting Elysabeth Eldering
http://www.margaretfieland.com
November 7 Crystalee Calderwood is hosting Harry Gilleland http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com
November 8 Katie Hines is hosting Heather Paye
http://katiehines.blogspot.com
November 9 Helena Harper is hosting Steve Tremp
http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com
November 10 Liana Metal is hosting Crystalee Calderwood
http://lianastories.blogspot.com
November 11 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is hosting Marvin Wilson http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com
Note: You will go to my New Book Review blog to see this. While you're there, you'll want to check the guidelines in the left column to see how your review(s) can be utilized for more exposure.
November 12 Gayle Trent is hosting Dianne Sagan
http://www.gayletrent.com/blog/
November 13 Mayra Calvani is hosting Carolyn Howard-Johnson http://mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com
November 14 Marvin Wilson is hosting Gayle Trent
http://theoldsilly.com
November 15 Linda Asato is hosting Mayra Calvani
http://lindaswritingdesk.blogspot.com
November 16 Heather Paye is hosting Katie Hines
http://heatherpaye.blogspot.com
November 17 Steve Tremp is hosting Helena Harper
http://stephentremp.blogspot.com
November 18 Elysabeth Eldering is hosting Linda Asato
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
November 19 Darcia Helle is hosting Liana Metal
http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/
November 20 Deborah Weed is hosting Nancy Famolari
http://deborahweed.ning.com
November 21 Brigitte Thompson is hosting Margaret Fieland http://www.writersinbusiness.blogspot.com
November 22 Martha Swirzinki is hosting Darcia Helle
http://movementplus.com
November 23 Heidi Thomas is hosting Kathy Stemke
http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com
Each day there will be prizes offered. All you have to do is leave a comment on the host's site on the day he/she is posting for their guest and you may a winner! Note, Mayra Calvani, author of a great book on how to review books for fun or for pay, will be hosting me.
The Winner will have a choice of ONE of 2 or 3 books of our members or other related gifts, OR a one day guest spot on this blog site!
Prizes being given away evert Day from November 1st through November 23rd!
OH! Wait a minute! That's not all! We will also have a Mystery Site Giveaway and the SUPER-DUPER PRIZE is a $25 (US) GIFT CARD to either Amazon, Target, or an American Express Gift Card.
Winners will be notified the day after each posting. The Mystery Site Winner will be notified Sunday, November 29th.
Come celebrate with us and you may be the winner of a great gift in the process.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
So, watch this blog on November 11 for just one of the tour entries, the famous Old Silly, Marvin Wilson.
Here is the tour schedule for the rest of the month of November. There is a prize on each stop, so make this list your reading one-stop-shop!
November 1 Dianne Sagan is hosting Heidi Thomas
http://www.diannesagan.wordpress.com
November 2 Harry Gilleland is hosting Karen Cioffi
http://harrygillelandwrites.blogspot.com November 3 Karen Cioffi is hosting Martha Swirzinki
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com
November 4 Kathy Stemke is hosting Brigitte Thompson
http://educationtipster.blogspot.com
November 5 Nancy Famolari is hosting Deborah Weed
http://nancygfamolari.blogspot.com
November 6 Margaret Fieland is hosting Elysabeth Eldering
http://www.margaretfieland.com
November 7 Crystalee Calderwood is hosting Harry Gilleland http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com
November 8 Katie Hines is hosting Heather Paye
http://katiehines.blogspot.com
November 9 Helena Harper is hosting Steve Tremp
http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com
November 10 Liana Metal is hosting Crystalee Calderwood
http://lianastories.blogspot.com
November 11 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is hosting Marvin Wilson http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com
Note: You will go to my New Book Review blog to see this. While you're there, you'll want to check the guidelines in the left column to see how your review(s) can be utilized for more exposure.
November 12 Gayle Trent is hosting Dianne Sagan
http://www.gayletrent.com/blog/
November 13 Mayra Calvani is hosting Carolyn Howard-Johnson http://mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com
November 14 Marvin Wilson is hosting Gayle Trent
http://theoldsilly.com
November 15 Linda Asato is hosting Mayra Calvani
http://lindaswritingdesk.blogspot.com
November 16 Heather Paye is hosting Katie Hines
http://heatherpaye.blogspot.com
November 17 Steve Tremp is hosting Helena Harper
http://stephentremp.blogspot.com
November 18 Elysabeth Eldering is hosting Linda Asato
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
November 19 Darcia Helle is hosting Liana Metal
http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/
November 20 Deborah Weed is hosting Nancy Famolari
http://deborahweed.ning.com
November 21 Brigitte Thompson is hosting Margaret Fieland http://www.writersinbusiness.blogspot.com
November 22 Martha Swirzinki is hosting Darcia Helle
http://movementplus.com
November 23 Heidi Thomas is hosting Kathy Stemke
http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com
Each day there will be prizes offered. All you have to do is leave a comment on the host's site on the day he/she is posting for their guest and you may a winner! Note, Mayra Calvani, author of a great book on how to review books for fun or for pay, will be hosting me.
The Winner will have a choice of ONE of 2 or 3 books of our members or other related gifts, OR a one day guest spot on this blog site!
Prizes being given away evert Day from November 1st through November 23rd!
OH! Wait a minute! That's not all! We will also have a Mystery Site Giveaway and the SUPER-DUPER PRIZE is a $25 (US) GIFT CARD to either Amazon, Target, or an American Express Gift Card.
Winners will be notified the day after each posting. The Mystery Site Winner will be notified Sunday, November 29th.
Come celebrate with us and you may be the winner of a great gift in the process.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Reviewer Notes Gay Literature As Suitable for Heterosexuals
Conquering Venus:
A Novel
By Collin KelleyVanilla Heart Publishing. 255 pages. $14.95.
ISBN-13: 978-1935407294
Review by Helen Losse
First published in Blogcritics
Let’s be upfront: The category on the back of Collin Kelley’s debut novel, Conquering Venus, says “Gay Literary Fiction.” As a heterosexual woman—had I not known Collin, read his insightful political poetry, I might never have picked it up. But I do know Collin, did read the book, and I’m glad I did, for in doing so, I realized something more important than anything else I will say: “Gay Literary Fiction”—or at least Kelley’s Conquering Venus, which constitutes the sum total of books from this category which I have read—concerns itself less with overt sexual acts and more about what it means to be at home in one’s own body. I know why Kelley’s publisher wanted the book labeled “gay,” but I also know that this book has much to interest the heterosexual reader.
Kelley’s characters are multi-dimensional, his plot mature, and while the book is “gay” in detail, the theme and intent are universal: claiming and letting go—accepting responsibility for one’s own actions and refusing to blame one’s self for the actions of others—are psychological tasks or developmental stages that concern us all. Also of interest is the fact that those who speak most openly are no less troubled than those whose fear is evident. Kelley carefully and masterfully creates characters who must deal with the difficult situations in their various pasts—broken marriages, betrayal, sexual confusion and dishonesty, death, suicide, and family acceptance or denial of these—and a plot that draws them together on a trip to Paris.
Shortly after Irene and Martin meet, they “sit on the balcony for hours … discussing art and poetry, dancing around their true selves, the strange desire to confess deep secrets.” (p. 45) But why? Away from the confines of home and with alcohol flowing to remove inhibition, the characters become free to ignore convention. Or are they now free to explore it? Each effect has its cause; then effects become sorely entangled. Dreams play a large roll in the plot of this novel as does the seeming coincidence. Kelley uses italics to help the reader differentiate between live action and dreams. The dead play a roll, too, as a diary of a Parisian professor, hidden in the house Irene that never leaves, gives purpose as to why Martin and the older woman, an agoraphobic who watches through binoculars the goings on at the hotel where the group are staying, come together at all.
The situation in which Peter died leads, at least in part, to Martin’s present attraction to eighteen-year-old David, with the complicated attraction/repulsion David feels in response, and his resulting, problematic drinking. Not all gays are created equal? Well, not everyone’s family is the same. Situations do not lead to pat answers. The truth about Diane leaving her ex-husband comes out, equally confusing. The characters weave their way through the violence of bombings, a hospital’s mental ward, the landmarks in Paris—The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame—and finally home before book’s culmination. The book is a page turner and kept me up ’til 5:00 am, before the story came to a quitting point, where Diane, the burned-out teacher, and her younger friend, Martin—chaperones on a school trip—end up moving separately to Europe, leaving their problematic lives in America.
But Kelley does not end Conquering Venus by wrapping things up in that proverbial neat, little package nor does he leave us in a world we do not believe possible with everyone riding into the sunset. What Kelley does is offer hope as surely as Martin conquers Venus, exchanging the Venus de Milo for the Winged Victory.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
A Novel
By Collin KelleyVanilla Heart Publishing. 255 pages. $14.95.
ISBN-13: 978-1935407294
Review by Helen Losse
First published in Blogcritics
Let’s be upfront: The category on the back of Collin Kelley’s debut novel, Conquering Venus, says “Gay Literary Fiction.” As a heterosexual woman—had I not known Collin, read his insightful political poetry, I might never have picked it up. But I do know Collin, did read the book, and I’m glad I did, for in doing so, I realized something more important than anything else I will say: “Gay Literary Fiction”—or at least Kelley’s Conquering Venus, which constitutes the sum total of books from this category which I have read—concerns itself less with overt sexual acts and more about what it means to be at home in one’s own body. I know why Kelley’s publisher wanted the book labeled “gay,” but I also know that this book has much to interest the heterosexual reader.
Kelley’s characters are multi-dimensional, his plot mature, and while the book is “gay” in detail, the theme and intent are universal: claiming and letting go—accepting responsibility for one’s own actions and refusing to blame one’s self for the actions of others—are psychological tasks or developmental stages that concern us all. Also of interest is the fact that those who speak most openly are no less troubled than those whose fear is evident. Kelley carefully and masterfully creates characters who must deal with the difficult situations in their various pasts—broken marriages, betrayal, sexual confusion and dishonesty, death, suicide, and family acceptance or denial of these—and a plot that draws them together on a trip to Paris.
Shortly after Irene and Martin meet, they “sit on the balcony for hours … discussing art and poetry, dancing around their true selves, the strange desire to confess deep secrets.” (p. 45) But why? Away from the confines of home and with alcohol flowing to remove inhibition, the characters become free to ignore convention. Or are they now free to explore it? Each effect has its cause; then effects become sorely entangled. Dreams play a large roll in the plot of this novel as does the seeming coincidence. Kelley uses italics to help the reader differentiate between live action and dreams. The dead play a roll, too, as a diary of a Parisian professor, hidden in the house Irene that never leaves, gives purpose as to why Martin and the older woman, an agoraphobic who watches through binoculars the goings on at the hotel where the group are staying, come together at all.
The situation in which Peter died leads, at least in part, to Martin’s present attraction to eighteen-year-old David, with the complicated attraction/repulsion David feels in response, and his resulting, problematic drinking. Not all gays are created equal? Well, not everyone’s family is the same. Situations do not lead to pat answers. The truth about Diane leaving her ex-husband comes out, equally confusing. The characters weave their way through the violence of bombings, a hospital’s mental ward, the landmarks in Paris—The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame—and finally home before book’s culmination. The book is a page turner and kept me up ’til 5:00 am, before the story came to a quitting point, where Diane, the burned-out teacher, and her younger friend, Martin—chaperones on a school trip—end up moving separately to Europe, leaving their problematic lives in America.
But Kelley does not end Conquering Venus by wrapping things up in that proverbial neat, little package nor does he leave us in a world we do not believe possible with everyone riding into the sunset. What Kelley does is offer hope as surely as Martin conquers Venus, exchanging the Venus de Milo for the Winged Victory.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
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